Groundworking machines used in the construction and other industries typically are provided with a dipper stick or handle pivotally connected to a boom, an implement pivotally connected to a free end of the dipper stick, a support link pivotally connected to the dipper stick, a link pivotally connected at the ends thereof to the support link and the implement and a hydraulic cylinder assembly operatively interconnecting the dipper stick and pivotal connection between the support and pivot links, which may be operated to pivot the implement relative to the dipper stick. Such implements generally are connected to the dipper stick and pivot link by means of a pair of connecting pins having the ends thereof supported on a pair of rigid brackets formed on an upper wall of the implement.
Often, a single, dedicated implement may be connected to a machine. In some operations, however, where a multitude of work functions may be required, necessitating the use of a number of different implements, such as a number of different excavating buckets perhaps having different widths, contours or cutting edges, and where flexibility and expediency may be required, it has been a common practice to utilize a coupler adapted to detachably connect a variety of different implements to the machine.
In the prior art, there has been developed a substantial number of such couplers. Such couplers, however, have been found not to be entirely satisfactory in providing a device that is simple in design, comparatively easy to manufacture, simple and expedient to attach, operate and detach and safe and reliable in performance. It thus is the general object of this invention to provide an improved coupler for detachably connecting a variety of different implements to the dipper stick of a groundworking machine having the aforementioned attributes.